147 Million Orphans Blog

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The past few months have been full of WARFARE. I think Katie coming into town, Tosha bringing Abigail home, and the fact that we have hundreds of families fundraising for their adoptions with their gear has made satan just a little agitated. our team of women at 147 might as well have had targets on our foreheads. WOW! he sure does like to wreak havoc. He attacked Katies body, strep throat and then blisters all in her mouth and tongue....(you think he wanted her to speak while being at home?) The list goes on and on from Tosha getting sick to husbands getting sick...Gwen and I are weary. There was a point today where we both wanted to just crawl back in the bed and pull the covers over our heads!

So, rather than stay in bed...we SHALL NOT BE DEFEATED! we are assuming since you guys read our blogs that you must have a heart for orphans also. We want you to join us in lifting the fatherless up to their HEAVENLY father each and every day.

Call it a campaign, initiative, or project ... The name is not important, but the ACT is ... 147 Million Orphans is launching PRAY DOWN THE NUMBER AT 1:47 PM project Nov. 1st ... It is simply an invitation for us all to join together and allow God to make an impact through prayer for the orphans of the world !!!

This is how it all got started...words from gwen:

Let me tell you how it happened ... I always know when God has a direction for me by the way he delivers the message ... IT SIMPLY POPS IN MY HEAD WITH ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS AND DETAILS ATTACHED ... I know it is ALL him when I have not been thinking of the idea, up late at night trying to figure it out, or even have it on a TO DO list ... IT JUST POPS IN MY HEAD (kinda like my first 147 Million Orphan's shirt for our adoption) ...So the story goes like this ... Emily and I were on the phone talking about the wait for everyone in the adoption process ... We were talking about how the process is a MUST and when delays, road blocks, and mountains come our way that we can not lose hope in the FATHER'S PERFECT PLAN... And then as soon as I hung up the phone God whispers - PRAY MY DAUGHTER PRAY ... GET ALL YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO PRAY W/ YOU AT 1:47 pm DAILY ... The orphan crisis is not a quick fix, but a long hard journey with the LORD trusting him and loving his people !!!

SO WE AT 147 ARE ASKING YOU TO COME ALONG SIDE OF US AND HELP US TO ASK OTHERS TO PRAY DOWN THE NUMBER AT 1:47 PM ... where ever you are just stop and lift up orphans to the FATHER - pray for friend's adoptions, pray for the orphan who is hungry, pray the for the orphan that is sick, pray for the families sitting on the fence about adoption, pray for orphan/adoption ministries, pray for those serving orphans, ... WHATEVER GOD LAYS ON YOUR HEART ABOUT THE FATHERLESS - pray pray pray !!!

put in on your calendar, make it an appt. on your phone, write it on your hand, put a sticky note on your mirror or do them all ... LET'S ALL STAND TOGETHER, WATCH OUR FAITH GROW AND THE NUMBER GO DOWN !!!

thanks for all of the gluten free recipes! I'm hoping to make all of your yummy suggestions sometime soon!

My weekend has been filled with Homecoming game, get together for Katie, Homecoming dance, after-party at my house, fundraiser for Katie, a trip to Birmingham, and fall break starting. I was so proud of my daughter Grace. She and a few friends were determined to get up and travel after being up late for Homecoming.( a few pics for you!) We spent Sunday in at David Platt's church because Katie was speaking. Afterwards, we had lunch with his sweet wife Heather. My belief that behind every good man, there is a FABULOUS woman...proved to be true! She is an ANGEL! Gwen and I have been friends with her via Facebook. It was such a blessing for our hearts to weave together another layer of friendship face to face, since we all hold the same love and passion for what life should hold while living here on earth. We are praying her to China as soon as possible to bring her sweet baby home!

You would think as busy and as exhausting as my weekend was that I would walk away depleted. It was just the opposite, while my body is weary, my cup is so full! David's sermon was so challenging. He spoke about our first step being salvation. Our destination being the Father and not heaven. The second step is the HOLY SPIRIT, being filled with Him and me using my gifts for His glory. He explained that the fathers must go first, and the rest of the house will follow. in our society, fathers have lost their way. the abundance of materialism has led to pride, and through pride our minds get clouded of what His will is for us rather than what "we" have accomplished. Our "gifts" become forgotten and ignored and we try to thrive within ourselves instead of how we were made to serve and using our gifts. He then, challenged us to simplify our lives so that we can focus on what HE is calling us to do and BE in life. Is it to increase my giving? calling me to sell something? leading me to sacrifice? serve nearby? serve on the other side of the world? short-term? long- term? ABANDON my life to Him.

I really can't do his sermon justice. His passion is so contagious, I walked out of the sanctuary wanting to sell or give everything I have away. FOR HIS GLORY, so that I might not be clouded with materialism so that I can see my calling and gifts CLEARLY. Katie explained that if you look around at your circumstances, you get TOTALLY overwhelmed with all of the needs. Her goal is to see the ONE that is standing in front of her, help that ONE, then take the next step to see the next person that is in her path. His manna is only good for ONE day, it is ruined by tomorrow. We have no guarantees for the future or the next day, only for TODAY.

Gwen and I fly out Thursday to Arizona for the Together for Adoption conference. Pray for the families that will be there to open their hearts to what God has for each of them and they will be MOVED into action on behalf of the least of these! Pray for our families while we are gone:)

I had multiple people approach me and tell me how much my blog ministers to their heart. It was SUCH a blessing. Thanks for your encouragement!

The past few weeks have been a complete whirlwind.With Katie being home, we have tried to fit in as much quality time as possible in between her “jetsetting” from state to state on her book tour.I cannot believe that she will be heading home to Uganda in less than a week. It makes my heart sad for me and happy for her.I cannot wait to see how the surgery heals Grace’s leg.I am going to pray that in NO time, she is running all around the yard with the rest of her sisters.There was a day when I said the same thing about Josie Love…we BELIEVED God for it, and it ALL came to fruition.Because HE is the ULTIMATE healer, and He WILL do what HE says that HE WILL DO!

The past few weeks, I have had my nose in books learning all about “Celiac Disease”.(which is a really scary word for “gluten allergy”)One of my children has been diagnosed with it, so I have had my nose to the grindstone figuring it all out.I am at a really good place.I have learned SO much, and have baked some REALLY YUMMY things!All of my children have jumped on board and helped with this new journey that we are on.On Tuesday and Thursdays Caleb and I turn into “Betty Crocker” and “the Pillsbury dough boy” except that we do not use any of their “boxed items”..it is mostly from scratch.I have found some really good “baking mixtures” that make DELICIOUS cookies, brownies, cakes, etc…so I am thankful.I have always cooked dinner.Through the years, depending on the season of preschoolers,about three times a week.I had forgotten how much better food tastes when it is made from scratch.I turn on my worship music, get out my sifter and I am unstoppable!!!I had forgotten how much I REALLY enjoy baking. Maybe what I thought to be a nightmare, Is going to be a blessing?It made my heart sing when all of my children were eating my chicken wings tonight…ooohing and aaahing at how yummy they were.(Just a homemade bbq sauce that I whipped up...no biggie! Hahahha)I won’t mention that before they started eating, I told them that the first one that complained about my dinner was going STRAIGHT TO A BATH AND BED and if they didn’t believe me…JUST TRY ME!!!

It’s the little reminders that God gives us to remind us how much HE loves us... when they kiss you each night before bed and say “I love you Mommy!” The beautiful trees that look as though they have been hand painted all different colors this time of year.But, it’s also the BIG reminders when you bake for 5 hours straight that they are TRULY blessings.Little treasured gifts that God hand picked especially for me so that I can giggle during the day.What would our world belike without a childs laughter?WOW!We are truly blessed.

If any of you have a gluten free recipe that you think is a “MUST HAVE” for me, send it my way!

It has been such a blessing to have Katie home. The look on her face as Josie ran towards her car the first day that she drove up was priceless. I had forgotten that it had been a year since she had seen Josie Love....wow how time flies.

Her time here has been a frenzie of media phone calls, interviews, speaking engagements, and people approaching her and standing with their mouth open....quite comical actually. She looks around trying to figure out what is going on!

We had FABULOUS fall gear party on Tuesday. We celebrated Katie's book, her heart to serve by faith each and every day, and that God brought us together to do our part in loving "the least of these"

Josie helping Katie sign her books!

showing Auntie Kate how she can write her name :)

As I read through Katie's book, I was reminded of my time in Uganda while trying to bring Josie Love home. The other night, we were out together eating yogurt and I asked her all about it. I can't remember if I cried a lot. I can't remember a lot of the details. We had a really neat conversation about the heart wrenching/tears of joys/mind boggling moments that we had during that time. I don't think I even realized how much I had blocked out. Isn't it funny how the things that cause the most pain in life...become your biggest passion. think about it... if you are a cancer survivor, you become passionate about bringing awareness to finding a cure. Diabetes, MS, CP, the list goes on and on. People spending time and energy in his/her passion trying to bring awareness to the very thing that ROCKED them to the core at some pint in his/her life.

I had several people mention how weary I must be at the book signing/sale the other day. And I AM TIRED, but when it is your passion, it is not work. I often wish that I could just take my heart out of my chest and give it to someone else for awhile, to let others feel what I feel when it comes to the fatherless and children that have HIV/AIDS. My blood rushes through my veins with an ache to educate, encourage, and enable! Just one little taste of it, and you would NEVER go back:)

KISSES FROM KATIE by Katie Davis will be released on Oct. 4th and you can get your copy at our 147 Million Orphans Eventon the 4TH FROM 10AM-7PM in the BACK BARN of Fellowship Bible Church in Franklin, TN ... Help us spread the word, bring a friend, and come check out the NEW 147 fall gear ... We are emptying out the warehouse and bringing out all the gear !!!

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About Me

suzanne

I am a lover of Jesus. I have the most fabulous husband that anyone woman could ask for. The Lord has blessed us with 7 beautiful children. I started this blog so that friends and family could follow our trip to Uganda to visit Katie Davis. I have decided to keep blogging to help bring orphan awareness to the world around me.